Technical Assistance for Strengthening the Blood Supply System in Turkey

Since 2007 Turkey has made several steps towards the safe provision and use of blood and blood products with a new Law on Blood and Blood products, a “Blood and Blood Products Implementing Regulation” and “The National Guideline of Blood Banking”. 

Focus and background

The government chose to start with harmonisation of the European Union legislation on blood and blood components. Full harmonisation, as well as general understanding of this harmonisation process are still ongoing in Turkey. 
The Technical Assistance for Strengthening the Blood Supply System (co-funded by EU and Turkey) is aimed to support the improvement process. This will further strengthen and develop the effective functioning of the blood supply system in Turkey and will create self-sustainability within the system.

Projectpartners

In this project Consulting Services collaborated in a consortium with German partner and consortium leader, GFA Consulting Group and two Turkish partners Hemosoft and Ankon Consulting.

The management of the project is located in Ankara with backstopping from GFA and Sanquin Consulting Services. The project is executed by the Technical Assistance Team (TAT) and Project Coordination Team.

Activities

The project facilitates a number of activities aiming at achieving the following under results:

• Database necessary to develop a national blood program.
• A revision of blood banking and transfusion for the whole country in line with requirements envisaged by relevant EU legislation as well as a strategic plan.
• To establish a legal base and technical infrastructure for effective implementation of the standards of blood transfusion.
• Human resources necessary for effective operation of the administration of blood in the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) that would supervise and/or manage the development of regional blood centers.
• Human Resources necessary for an adequate, efficient, safe and high quality blood supply system that operates in line with created EU standards.
• Enable a regular flow of information between the blood establishments and the national authority.

Services and activities by Consulting Services

• Expertise of blood transfusion according to EU regulation and knowledge transfer
• Development of management training program
• Development of Training of Trainers (TOT) program
• Management training program: training of management of the key stakeholders, Ministry of Health and Turkish Red Crescent (TRC).
• Hemovigilance training seminars: technical training on Hemovigilance for professionals working in the blood transfusion system.
• Total Quality Management Seminar
• Collaboration in a study tour for Turkish professionals to four European countries, in order to compare various countries, particularly regarding the aspects of National Organization, National Blood Transfusion Authority, type of organization for Hemovigilance, and Appropriate Clinical use of Blood practices.

Activities are executed in close cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Health (MoH), Turkish Red Crescent and Project Team.